


The Twelve Step Program

by EverythingIsNightvale



Category: Gravity Falls, ParaNorman (2012)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Crushes, First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-11
Updated: 2015-01-11
Packaged: 2018-03-07 02:38:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3158066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EverythingIsNightvale/pseuds/EverythingIsNightvale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dipper has a plan. A plan to get the boy of his dreams. It’s careful, and well thought out, and even written down. There’s no way things could possibly go wrong! But of course they always do.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Twelve Step Program

**Author's Note:**

> So this is set in a Norman Spends his Summers in Gravity Falls AU of sorts. I imagine that Dipper and Mabel are 15 and Norman is 16.  
> I wrote this a while back, but I'm only just now getting it on AO3.
> 
> Go ahead and hit me up on tumblr. My username is everythingisnightvale.

 

 

 

 

The Twelve Step Program

 

        Dipper was going to kill Stan. He really was. He was fairly certain his great uncle hired incredibly attractive people on purpose, just so Dipper looked like an idiot. First it was Wendy, his first crush of sorts. She never really returned his feelings, but Dipper did manage to get a kiss on the cheek at her graduation party. But now Wendy was off to some college in San Diego and Stan had to find a replacement. And her replacement, of course, was gorgeous.

    He was an inch or two taller than Dipper, and that wasn’t including the height his hair added. He was quiet and kind of shy and perfect in too many ways. The moment he showed up in Gravity Falls Dipper fell, hard.

    His name was Norman and Dipper was NOT spying on him from behind a display in the Mystery Shack.

    “Hey Dipper!”

    “AH!” He jumped at the sudden sound of his sister and fell back, landing hard on his backside.

    “What were you staring at?” She asked, peering down at him

    “Nothing! I wasn’t staring at anything. Why would I be staring and anyone-thing! Anything.” He could feel his face heating up.

    Mabel eyed her brother for a bit before springing up to look over in the direction Dipper had been moments before. She locked eyes with Norman, who was looking off in the direction of the noise the twins were making. Mabel gave him a small wave before shooting back down, leaving Norman even more confused than before.

    “You were watching Norm-”

    “Sh!” He slapped a hand over Mabel’s mouth, muffling her words. “I’m going to take my hand off your mouth and you’re going to walk away and NEVER speak of this again. Do you understand?”

    Mabel nodded. Dipper cautiously removed his hand.

    “You like Norman!” Mabel exclaimed with a grin.

    “See, this is exactly what we agreed you weren’t going to do.” Dipper said massaging his temples.

    “I can’t believe I didn’t see it earlier! It’s so obvious.”

    “Well it wasn’t exactly that obvious…right?” Dipper said, suddenly concerned that he hadn’t been as subtle as he had hoped.

    “Why don’t you just go talk to him?” Mabel asked, ignoring hi question.

    “It’s not that simple. He’s a guy, I’m a guy. It’s not exactly normal.” Dipper explained.

    “Since when has anything in this town been normal? Besides, I just want you to talk to him. I’m not asking you to go over there and kiss him.”

    At that, Dipper’s blush darkened.

    “Wait a second.”

    “Don’t say it.”

    “You DO wanna kiss him.”

    “And you said it.” Dipper rolled his eyes at his sister’s giggling.

    “Aw Dipper! You’re finally going to lose you lipginity!” She squealed.

    “One: Liginity isn’t even a word, and Two: I never said I wanted to kiss him.” Dipper said, sitting up finally, but not getting up from the floor.

    “You implied it.” Mabel said.

    “And how exactly did I imply it?” Dipper asked.

    “You implied it by not implying it, duh!”

    “Mabel that doesn’t make any sense. How can I-”

    “Are you two okay?” A meek voice cut off Dipper’s rant before it could begin.

    The twins froze, their heads simultaneously looking up at Norman.

    “Fine!” They replied at the same time.

    “Oh…okay.” He seemed unsure, but he turned to walk away anyway.

    “Hey Norman!” Mabel yelled after him, pulling Dipper to his feet, almost causing him to fall over again.   

    “Huh?” He turned back.

    Mabel jabbed a thumb at Dipper who shot her a dirty look.

    “That’s uh…a nice sweatshirt. Is it new?” He asked with a faltering smile.

    Norman looked down at his hoodie. “No, it’s the same one I always wear.” He said, tugging absentmindedly on his sleeve.

    “Oh.”

    “I should get back to work.” Norman said. He glanced back at the register which, as if on cue, a costumer was approaching.

    “You-you do that.” Dipper waited for Norman to walk away before turning to glare harshly at Mabel.

    “What the hell was that?!” He snapped.

    “You’re hopeless Dipper! You’re going to let him get away.” She stormed off frustrated before Dipper could get another word in.

    He sighed, and looked back at Norman, who was ringing up the costumer’s overpriced purchase. He needed to figure out what to do, and fast.

 

    “Really Dipper?” Mabel asked, sitting beside him on the floor of their bedroom. “I thought you tried the whole listy thing with Wendy and decided you were better off without it.”

    “It’s different this time. I need it. If I rush into this too quickly I could scare him away.” He explained

    “Don’t worry. Norman’s totally going to fall for you.”

    “How do you know?”

    “Because, he’d be crazy not to.”

 

Step One: Hold a Conversation

 

    Mabel had stressed that this wasn’t about impressing Norman. It was just supposed to be a friendly chat. There was no need to be nervous. He just needed to get to know him.

    It was simple, right? Wrong. Dipper had been sitting on a wobbly stool by the counter watching as people came and went, and for the past few hours no words had been exchanged between the two passed the initial hello’s.

    Things at the shack had quieted down, making the ever present silence between the two even more suffocating. Dipper dug around in his mind for something to say as he pretended to be interested in something outside the window. He quickly glanced over at his secret crush, who was busy doodling on a spare piece of paper.

    “You like zombies?” Dipper asked, noting the picture.

    “Uh, kind of, but not really. Zombies and I have a history of sorts.” Norman explained.

    “I thought I saw a zombie once, but it was just a bunch of gnomes.” thinks were quiet again, before both boys burst into laughter.

    And just like that the ice was broken. Dipper told Norman about all the wacky, but terrifying, adventures he had since he and his sister first came to Gravity Falls. Norman talked about his home and how his family bought a cabin up here so Norman could escape the stress of school.

    “Do you get stressed a lot?” Dipper asked.

    “Not really, it’s hard to explain. They just wanted me to get a break from something. Kids can be cruel. I’m not bullied or anything. Not so much anymore any way. I’m just mostly ignored. I guess they figured if I was going to be ignored I should be ignored by strangers on the other side of the United States. It’s a nice thought and I like it out here. It’s a little weird, but there’s just something about this place. I, I just really like it.” Norman smiled to himself.

    “Yeah.” Dipper agreed. He looked at Norman who was intensely studying his shoes. “Me too.” He wasn’t sure if he was talking about the town or something, someone, else.

 

Step Two: Become Friends

 

    Dipper sat by Norman and talked with him every day that week, when they didn’t have other work to do around the shack.

    “Hey Dipper.” Norman said one day as the tow of them sat on the roof eating their lunch.

    “Yeah?” Dipper said with a mouthful of sandwich.

    “Are we friends?” Norman asked.

    “Of course.” Dipper said after swallowing. This conversation sounded like it was going to take a turn for the serious and serious moments simply couldn’t be had when your mouth was full of peanut butter and jelly.

    Norman smiled and looked almost relived at Dipper’s answer. “Thant’s good. I think you’re really cool.”

    Dipper laughed a bit awkwardly. “Thanks, but I’m no big deal. You on the other hand. You are awesome.” He grinned.

    “I’m not really-”

    “Unless the next words out of your mouth are ‘Why thank you Dipper. I am pretty awesome’ then I don’t want to hear it. This roof is a no self-hatred zone.” Dipper said.

    “I don’t hate myself. I just think I’m a little weird.” Norman explained.

    “You are. That’s why you’re awesome. Normal people are bleh. I mean come on Norman the Normal? How boring would that sound? Now Norman the Weird, that’s a title to be proud of. It means that you’re your own person. It’s the weird ones they’ll remember.”

    Norman was a bit taken back. “Thanks Dipper.”

    Dipper blushed, realizing then how odd his speech must have sounded. “It’s nothing really.”

 

Step Three: Hang Out (Not Alone!)

 

    “Are you doing anything tomorrow?” Dipper asked suddenly, hoping to change the subject.

    “Um, I don’t think so, why?”

    “Well Mabel and I were going to go to the diner for breakfast, and you know, if you wanted to go, the invite is open.”

    “I’d like that.”

    “So I’ll-I mean we’ll, see you there?”

    “Yeah definitely!”

    “Great!” Dipper beamed.

    “Well, my breaks over. I’ll see you later Dipper.” Norman smiled, climbing down from the roof.

    “Yeah, see you.” He waited for Norman to disappear before he held his face in his hands in panic. What had he just done? He just asked Norman out(sort of). And now he and Norman(and Mabel) had a date(sort of). Why had he done that? Sure he loved hanging with Norman at the Shack, but they had never hung out outside of work before. Dipper could feel himself start to panic.

    “MABEL!” He yelled instinctively.

    “Yes Dipper?”

    Dipper furrowed his brow in confusion. He didn’t really expect Mabel to answer, let alone sound so close. He looked over the edge, expecting to see her on the ground below.

    “Nope, up here!”

    He followed the sound of her voice.

    “Mabel, what are you doing up there?” Mabel was sitting care-free on top of the totem pole, her face painted to match those of the totem pole.

    “Not spying on your date with Norman.” She said with a giggle.

    “It wasn’t a date. It was just lunch.”

    “Oh sure, lunch. Is that what the kids are calling it now a days?” She laughed.

    “It wasn’t a date!”

    “What did you need me for anyway?”

    “You, me, and Norman are going to the diner tomorrow for breakfast.” Dipper said.

    “Why am I going?” She asked.

    “Because, like lunch today, it’s not a date.”

    “It’s kind of like a pre-date?” Mabel asked.

    “No Mabel it’s…wait, yeah. That’s exactly what it is.”

    “Neat-o, Count me in! Whoa!” In her excitement Mabel fell off the totem pole and came crashing to the ground.

    “Mabel?”

    “I’m okay! This pile of pinecones broke my fall.”

 

-

 

    “Don’t worry Dipper. You look fine. Not nearly as fabulous as me, but definitely not terrible.” That didn’t put Dipper’s mind at ease. His sister’s face was covered in Band-Aids of assorted colors. If he looked worse than that…

He tugged his hat down.

    “Maybe this was a bad idea.” Dipper said, ready to crawl back into bed.

    “Aw Dipper, don’t say that. Besides, it’s not even a date, right? It’s just three friends hanging out. He’s not going to care how you look. Would you care if he showed up looking like he had a run in with an angry leaf blower?”

    “That’s an unfair example. Norman always looks perfect.” Dipper mumbled.

    “Do you really think he’ll care?” Mabel asked.

    “No…”

    “Then grab you jacket, we’re going to be late.”

    When they arrived at the diner, Norman was already sitting alone in a booth. He was glancing around nervously, like he expected Dipper and Mabel wouldn’t show up.

    “I don’t suppose you want me to say I’m sick or-” Mabel began.   

    “Don’t you dare.” Dipper grabbed his sister by the arm and dragged her to the booth. “Hey Norman! Sorry we’re late.”

    “Dipper was having problems with his hair.” Mabel told him.

    Dipper glared at her as Norman stifled a giggle.

    “So my hair problems are funny to you?” Dipper said in mock seriousness.

    “No, it’s just, you always wear a hat, so it really doesn’t matter how your hair looks.” He let a small giggle pass his lips,

    Dipper blushed. How was it possible for one person to be so adorable? He smiled fondly. “Yeah it is kind of silly.”

    “I must warn you. Us Pines fold are known for our silliness.” Mabel said.

    “Will that be a problem?” Dipper raised an eyebrow.

    Norman smiled. “I like silly. Silly is good.” The three of them laughed.

    Breakfast was nice. With Mabel there Dipper found it easier to relax with his crush sitting so close. Mabel kept finding reasons to excuse herself from the table, but towards the end she found neither of the boys noticing. They were too absorbed in a conversation about whether or not there was any monster that had the power to defeat Cthulhu to notice that Mabel had left until they had turned to ask her opinion.

    “Where’d she go?” Norman asked.

    “Mabel had this problem with disappearing. She’s probably off chasing a squirrel.”

    “You make her sound like a dog.”

    “You mean sisters aren’t dogs?” Dipper laughed as they climbed out of the booth.

    “Well I should probably be going.”

    “Yeah, I promised Soos I’d help him fix his truck. And by help I mean hold the flashlight.” Dipper said.

    “That sounds about right. I’ll see you later.”

    Dipper wasn’t sure who leaned in first, but he figured it didn’t really matter because he and Norman were hugging. He was pressed close to the object of his affection.

    He was surprised how frail Norman felt in his arms. He was bigger than Dipper by terms of height, but Dipper had more muscle mass (not by much but there was a difference). He smelled vaguely of clay and the maple syrup he had with his breakfast.

    He didn’t know how long they stood there wrapped in each other’s arms, but when they slowly pulled back Dipper felt cold and empty. He knew it sounded cheesy, and he probably watched too many romantic comedies, but he wanted to pull Norman back and not let go. But he didn’t.

    “See ya.” Norman said, cheeks tinged pink. He rushed out of the door and away from Dipper.

 

Step Four: Find Out Something Secret About Him

 

    Things in the Mystery Shack had gotten crazy fast. It was the biggest time for tourist. Dipper and Norman hadn’t had a chance to talk since the diner. So, needless to say, Dipper was happy to catch Norman in town on his day off.

    Norman was sitting on a street corner alone, talking. Dipper’s brow creased. He didn’t see a phone anywhere. Was he talking to himself?

    “Hey Norman!”

    Norman jumped. “Oh, Dipper. Hi.” He smiled politely.

    “Who were you talking to?”

    Norman glanced at the empty space next to him and flushed.

    “Uh…”

    “Don’t be embarrassed if you’re talking to yourself. I do it all the time.” Dipper sat down beside him.

    “Yeah…myself.”

    Dipper eyed him. “Okay, now I’m curious.”

    “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

    “You can’t just tell me not to worry. That’ll only make me worry. Norman you’re my friend.”

    Norman sighed. “Dipper, do you believe in ghosts?”

    “Huh?” Dipper wasn’t sure if he has heard right.

    “Ghosts. Do you think they’re real?”

    “Yeah of course, but what does that have to do with anything?” Dipper asked.

    “Wait, you do believe?”

    “Of course. I told you this town was weird. Did you think I was making it all up?”

    “Not exactly. It sounded kind of out there. I’ve heard of some pretty weird stuff, but gnomes that puke rainbows?”

    “Why did you ask about ghost?”

    “I…talk to them. And see them and stuff like that. I’m a medium.”

    Dipper was quiet. He looked at Norman, studying him to see if he was telling the truth. “So you were talking to a ghost?”

    “Yeah.” Norman squirmed a bit, looking uncomfortable.

    “Uh huh.” Dipper scratched his chin. “Is he still here?”

    “She is, yeah.”

    “I see. Well Norman.” Dipper looked at him, but Norman couldn’t bring himself to look at his friend, if he was still allowed to call him that. “It’s official. You are the coolest person I’ve ever met.”

    “Huh?” Norman picked him head up and looked at Dipper in confusion.

    “I mean, seriously, you see ghost and talk to them, like everywhere. That’s amazing. I’ve only seen two ghosts. One possessed my sister.”

    “Most ghosts don’t do the whole possession thing.” Norman said shyly. He only had one friend that thought his abilities were cool. At first it was kind of annoying, but coming from Dipper it was flattering.

    “That’s always nice to know.” Dipper said smiling brightly.

    “You’re not going to tell anyone about this, right? Most people aren’t as understanding as you.” Norman explained.

    “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”

    “Thanks Dipper.”

 

Step Five: Come Out to Him

 

    Dipper sighed. He hated to admit it but now was the perfect time. They were alone, everyone else well out of earshot. And Norman had just told Dipper something private.

    “Since we’re spilling out secrets here and all, do you mind if I tell you something?”

    “Sure.” Norman hugged his legs to his chest and rested his head on his knees.

    “Okay, you have to swear never to tell anyone, living or dead, about this.”

    “I swear.” Norman promised.

    Dipper took a deep breath. “Norman, I’m bisexual.”

    By the time he finished the sentence his eyes were clenched tight, afraid of Norman’s reaction.

    “Oh.”

    “Oh? Good oh or bad oh?” Dipper asked.

    “Not a bad oh. It’s a ’That’s cool’ oh. I don’t mind that you are. My friend’s older brother is gay and he and his boyfriend are really nice.” Norman looked like he wanted to say more but he held his tongue.  “Does you sister know?”

    “She knew before I did I think.” He replied.

    “Thank you for telling me Dipper. It means a lot to know you trust me.”   

    “Well you told me about the ghosts. So we’re even.”

    “You’re a good friend Dipper.” Norman slung an arm around Dipper, pulling him into a hug.

    “That best?”

    “My best.”

 

Step Six: Find Out His Sexuality.

 

    This was a difficult subject to bring up. He couldn’t just out right ask Norman, or he might get offended or suspect Dipper’s intentions. Unfortunately Norman didn’t seem to catch on to any of his subtle attempts to find out. He was running out of tricks. He had even gone so far as to outright tell Norman he thought another guy was hot to see what he would say. Norman only brushed it off with a comment about how he wasn’t into red heads, which wasn’t discouraging, but it didn’t exactly encourage him either.

    “I need one of you yahoos to hang up some signs in the forest.” his great uncle’s voice broke up Dipper and Norman’s conversation.

    “Oh no. Last time I did that I dug up a lot of secrets that should’ve stayed buried.” Dipper said.

    “I’ll do it.” Norman volunteered.

    “You don’t want to do this. There are spooky things in that forests.”

    Norman raised a questioning eyebrow. “I’m pretty sure I’m spookier than half the things in that forest.”

    “Fine, if you’re going I suppose I should go with you. For protection, you know.”

    “Thanks, but I don’t think anything out there is scarier that what I’ve seen before.”   

    Norman grabbed the signs and Dipper grabbed the hammer and the two headed out.

   

-

 

    Things happened so fast, neither of them really knew what happened. One minutes they were hammering a sign into a tree and the next that very same tree was chasing them.

    “Dipper!”

    “Yeah, Norman.” They shouted back and forth as they ran,

    “Remember when I said I’d seen scarier things than what was in this forest?”   

    “Yeah.”

    “I was wrong. I was so wrong.”

    “That’s okay. Come on.” Dipper pulled himself and Norman into a small space between two boulders. The monster looked around like they had disappeared into thin air, then it sulked off.

    Dipper and Norman were breathing heavily, pressed together between the rocks. Their faces mere inches away. They were both flushed with embarrassment and exhaustion.

    Dipper opened his mouth to break the silence, but Norman lunged forward and kissed him.

    Here it was. The moment Dipper had been waiting for and it…it was not going according to plan. Their teeth clashed painfully together, their tongues met sloppily. It was obvious neither had done anything like this before. Norman’s hangs gripped at Dipper’s shirt, while Dipper’s grasped at the air by his sides desperately looking for something to hold on to.

    They pulled apart, eyes opening, staring at each other.

    “I’m sorry. I know I skipped a few steps, but I couldn’t help myself.” Norman said in a small voice.

    “Don’t be sorry I-wait, did you say steps?” Dipper asked.

    Norman reached into his pocket and pulled out a small folded up piece of notebook paper. “You dropped this.”

    Dipper recognized it at once. It was his list on how to get Norman. “Uh, I can explain,”

    “Why didn’t you just tell me you like me?”

    “It’s not that simple.”

    “Really? Because I just kind for went for it. I hope that’s okay.”

    “On no, it’s fine. Totally fine.” Dipper smiled.

    “So, do you wanna go out with me?”

    Dipper smiled.

 

Step 13: Ignore the List and Kiss Your Boyfriend


End file.
